To display this YouTube content, you must allow advertising and audience measurement cookies.
An extension on your browser appears to be blocking the video player from loading. In order to view this content, you must disable it on this site.
First modification: 02/10/2026 - 22:10
This year, several French monuments pay tribute to Marie Antoinette. More than 230 years after her public execution, the queen continues to fascinate both in France and abroad. Our reporters explore the reasons for this enduring interest and analyze how, long before the age of social media, Marie Antoinette was already setting trends and cultivating an image that crossed borders. Is Marie Antoinette the first influencer in France?
In May, the Palace of Versailles hosted the "Marie Antoinette at the Trianon" ball for the first time. Attendees traveled to the 18th century to relive some episodes of the queen's life, accompanied by musicians, dancers and actors.
In addition to touring the Petit and Grand Trianon, the former royal residences, some guests had exceptional access to the private grotto that the queen had built. "It's never open to the public, so it's an extraordinary privilege," explained one attendee.
The event sold out in just a few hours and attracted numerous visitors from abroad. "Probably, the exhibitions dedicated to Louis XIV or Marie Antoinette are the most successful at Versailles. Marie Antoinette is one of the most represented queens in history," explains Laurent Brunner, director of Château de Versailles Spectacles.
An icon of "popular" culture
Marie Antoinette's influence continues and is reflected in the work of brands, writers, artists and filmmakers.
This year marks 20 years since the release of "Marie Antoinette", the cult film directed by Sofia Coppola. The film will be screened in theaters again this fall, coinciding with an exhibition at the Palace of Versailles and the publication of a book about behind-the-scenes filming.
"Sofia called me and asked if I would be interested in going to Versailles to take some photographs during filming. So I got on a plane and traveled to France with my little camera," says Andrew Durham, author of the film's Making.
Published by Mack, the new book brings together snapshots of 21st century movie stars dressed in 18th century costumes, but reinterpreted with a touch of pop culture.
Durham decided to publish this series after running into a person in a Los Angeles coffee shop with one of his photographs printed on a t-shirt. A scene that, once again, demonstrates the validity of the queen's legacy.
📲Subscribe here to the France 24 channel on WhatsApp and access all the content to understand what is happening in the world.
Related keywords
The content you requested does not exist or is no longer available.
